A NEW LOOK AT SPECIAL PROBLEMS, PROJECT BEACON--A PROJECT ADDRESSED TO THE NEEDS OF THE SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED.

A GREAT NUMBER OF AMERICAN CHILDREN ARE GROWING UP IN SOCIALLY DEPRIVED SURROUNDINGS. THESE DEPRIVATIONS ARE REFLECTED IN LOWER EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT. TEACHERS SHOULD HAVE SPECIAL PREPARATION IN ORDER TO LESSEN THIS WASTE OF EDUCATIONAL POTENTIAL. PROJECT BEACON IS AN EFFORT TO INTRODUCE WITHIN THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM A PERMANENT CORPS OF PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL SPECIALISTS WHO HAVE BEEN RIGOROUSLY TRAINED TO MEET THE EDUCATIONAL NEEDS OF SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS. IT IS A LONG-RANGE PROGRAM TO ATTACK THE PROBLEMS OF DELINQUENCY AND SCHOOL DROPOUTS THROUGH (1) BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE RESEARCH INTO THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LEARNING AND SOCIAL DISADVANTAGE AND (2) GRADUATE LEVEL TRAINING OF PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL PERSONNEL SUCH AS PSYCHOLOGISTS, GUIDANCE SPECIALISTS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND TEACHERS WHO WORK WITH SOCIALLY DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS. DISADVANTAGES INCLUDE IMPROPER LEARNING HABITS, OBSCURED VOCATIONAL AND PERSONAL GOALS, INADEQUATE PREPARATION AND MOTIVATION, AND CONDITIONS OF LIFE WHICH DISCOURAGE THE PRACTICES AND VALUE NECESSARY FOR ADJUSTMENT AND ACHIEVEMENT IN OUR SOCIETY. THE PROJECT SEEKS TO IMPROVE THE EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT LEVELS OF THESE CHILDREN, AND TO ENHANCE THE PREPARATION AND ADD NEW DIMENSIONS TO CAREER OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERSONNEL WHO WANT TO WORK WITH DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN THROUGH PUBLIC SCHOOLS. TRAINING FOR PROJECT BEACON STUDENT TEACHERS CENTERS AROUND THREE CATEGORIES--(1) HOME, COMMUNITY, AND SCHOOL ANALYSIS, (2) CHILD APPRAISAL, AND (3) PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL PROCESSES AND GUIDED DEVELOPMENT. A DESCRIPTION OF EACH CATEGORY INCLUDES THE COURSES OFFERED AND PARALLEL FIELD WORK. IN THE COMMUNITY, IN SCHOOLS, AND IN THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CENTER. THIS ARTICLE IS A REPRINT FROM "PIONEER IDEALS IN EDUCATION," SEPTEMBER 1963.